One of the many things you can do in Penfield is to take your kayak out for a ride.

The more you learn about Penfield, the more you discover things that may surprise you. We’ve got places to hike, to watch birds, to grow a “victory” garden, to discuss books, to learn about history and lots more.

But kayaking?

Just because some people may not think about kayaking in Penfield (including me), that doesn’t mean it’s not a challenging, fun sport. “Kayaking is a pretty amazing sport,” said Dave Hulburt, Manager/Buyer at BayCreek Paddling Center, Inc. “Because there isn’t a real steep learning curve. If you purchase a decent boat that paddles straight without having to concentrate on it a whole lot, you can become a pretty proficient paddler in just one season by taking a few lessons and investing some butt time in your boat.”

I was talking to Dave as he was preparing to conduct a Level Two Intermediate Kayaking Class. “This is a finesse and technique sport,” he said.

Dave Hulburt is heading out for his Intermediate Kayaking class.

Dave starts with some basics before having his students get into their boats.

Dave and six of his students paddled up to a dock in Penfield’s wild-looking Wetlands Park and gathered around for the lesson. “We’re going to look at the proper seating position in the boat,” he said. “Also capsize prevention (bracing), using your body (hips, thighs and butts) to control your boat, how to turn more efficiently plus proper edging. The key is to find your comfort zone and the limits of your boat.

Students concentrate on Upper Body Separation for maximum control and stability. The students in this class were Mark Keramatey, Eric and Kristy Rinella, Neil Weisbrod and Tom Divine. (The name of the lady in the middle was unavailable.)

“I always say,” he continued, “if you haven’t capsized your boat at least once during this lesson, then you’re probably not trying hard enough.”

Dave Hulburt has been paddling for more than 20 years. He has led sea kayaking expeditions, trips through the Florida Keys and Everglades plus conducted training off the coast of Georgia and the Pacific Northwest. He told of a group he took down to the Everglades last year and it turned out to be the coldest recorded weather in Florida’s history! “Twenty-six degrees in Florida is not what people from Rochester expect when they want to get away from the cold!,” he said.

“Most of my close calls have had to do with cold water and people who don’t respect the water and come under-dressed. The rule of thumb is: Always dress for immersion. Dress for the water temperature even if you are sweating in 85 degrees! The greatest danger is if folks get over-confident and become too comfortable (and careless) in their surroundings.”

According to Dave Hulburt, the key to this lesson is to find your comfort zone and to know the limits of your boat.

As with any sport, the more a person invests in kayaking in terms of equipment, technique and fitness, the more it can be enjoyed. And, there’s the added bonus of gliding over rivers, streams, lakes and sea coasts to explore the world we live in.

BayCreek Paddling Center, Inc. is located at 1099 Empire Boulevard (by Irondequoit Bay). You can reach them at (585) 288-2830 or www.baycreek.com or Dave @baycreek. com.

Does that look good or what??! That’s pure Maple syrup being poured over a stack of pancakes at the First Baptist Church of Penfield on Saturday morning, June 19th. I got to the church just as Pastor Steve Hartman was putting out the sign that breakfast was about to be served so we stopped to chat for a few minutes.

“We serve over 200 people – members and non- members,” he said. “We’ve got 25 people who wait on tables and do the cooking and it’s pretty labor-intensive. However, they have such a good time that they look forward to each breakfast and even fight to see who’s going to be in the kitchen. I suspect they have way too much fun in there!”

The Pastor remembered an 85th birthday celebration where the whole family came in for a fun breakfast. And a group of teachers from Webster had such a good time that they volunteered to do all the serving at the next breakfast. Plus - not long ago – there was a troop of Boy Scouts who came in for a hearty breakfast before starting on their program.

“It brings the whole community together in a different kind of way,” said the Pastor. “People come over to show me pictures of their grown children who are working in far-away places and to proudly announce the birth of their grandchildren. It’s more than breakfast. It’s a way for people to connect with each other. As a matter of fact, I see that the ones who work here are the ones that are most likely to join us for Sunday services the next day.

A typical group that makes Saturday morning breakfast a special event.

Jeff Philips is in charge of the kitchen. He buys the food and manages the preparation. (Note: People who wish to can bring in and donate pancake mix and Maple syryup to the Penfield Ecumenical Food Shelf.) Kathy and Chris Ahl are in charge of the dining area. They come in with a crew on Friday to get everything set up for the next morning.

The First Baptist Church of Penfield has been holding their Flapjack Saturday Community Breakfasts for three years on the third Saturday of each month from 8 am to 10 am. In addition to pancakes. scrambled eggs, sausages and more can be enjoyed for $4.00 per person ($3 for children 10 and under).

You can contact the First Baptist Church of Penfield at (585) 586-2876 or at www.fbpenfield.org.

(Part of an original poem.)
The people at First Baptist look forward every month,
To see the friends again we’ve made and make some more amongst.
We love to see new faces as the people shuffle in,
As we know that new friends will be made and that will always make us grin.
The servers in the dining room are serving special guests,
And making lifelong friendships that are sure to stand the test.

The new exhibit is on the first floor at the County Office Building in downtown Rochester.

People who have occasion to walk into the County Office Building at 39 West Main Street downtown can stop at a new, three-sided kiosk and become acquainted with the towns and villages of Monroe County. The exhibit was unveiled during the first week in June at a special ceremony. It is narrated by County Executive, Maggie Brooks, and was put together by the Department of Environmental Services with the help of the Communications Department and some local historians who wrote the documentary.

Naturally, I was interested in how well Penfield was represented in this exhibit so I went downtown to check it out. I was disappointed to find the small kiosk standing in a big chamber near the County Clerk’s office. There are no signs or posters to draw people to the audio and visual displays which are very limited. To hear the narrative, you have to stand close to one of the kiosk’s sides. (Maybe the Town Clerk’s office didn’t want to be disturbed with Maggie Brooks’ repeating message.)

The space used for the display really needs more visibility with larger exibits and more comfortable viewing. Even more important, now that the exhibit is fully operational, it would be much more effective at the airport, the Convention Center and at some of our larger hotels.

This is a free-standing, three-sided kiosk that tells the story of Monroe County and its towns and villages.

Ms. Brooks’ narration of Penfield’s history along with limited historical images was short but interesting. “The Town of Penfield’s motto is, The Town of Planned Progress,” began her narration. “It was incorporated in 1810 and named after proprietor, Daniel Penfield. Power generation by Irondequoit Creek led to the development of several flour mills in Penfield. The Daisy Flour Mill (1848) on Blossom Road remains the town’s only mill structure still standing today. (Note: It operated as a successful restaurant for many years but now does only event catering.) Built in 1835, the town’s William Gors House (1835) is the only mud house in the state with its original exterior.

One of the kiosk's sides displays a picture of Daniel Penfield, and some historic objects related to the Town of Penfield.

Part of the Maggie Brooks video showing historic Four Corners.

“Penfield’s quarries remain a hidden gem, featuring some of the world’s best dolomite and stone used in construction. (Note: Dolomite is a sedimentary rock that has varying characteristics, depending on where it is quarried. It can have interesting crystal structures that can be used for ornamentation and even the manufacture of magnesium.) The Four Corners at Penfield and Five Mile Line Roads escalated in the 1950s and 60s, providing much of its current landscape. (Note: Originally, the Town of Penfield also included Webster. In 1840, Webster became a separate town and is – today – the fastest growing town in Monroe County.)

“Penfield is home to corporations such as Paychex and Thermal-Fisher Scientific along with 35,000 residents,” said Ms. Brooks before going on to describe the next town on the videotape.
I was the only person standing by the kiosk throughout the entire presentation as its sound echoed around the large, Gothic chamber.

Whenever I visit a Veterans’ Memorial, I can’t help thinking that every name represents a life interrupted. A life that might have produced a new generation, or a new product to save lives, or a new technology like Xerox and Microsoft, or beautiful music and literature. But it will never happen. One of our many wars snuffed out that life.

So, on Monday, May 31st, Penfield was one of the many communities that honored those fallen individuals with a Memorial Day Celebration.

Roses are reverently placed by the Veterans' Memorial to honor the men and women who have sacrificed their lives.

The celebration included the singing of the National Anthem by Penfield High School student, Christian Palmer, the reading of three excellent essays by talented students from the Bay Trail Middle school and an emotional tribute by guest speaker, Rick Gough – Commander of the Monroe County VFW.

VFW Commander, Rick Gough, gave an emotional speech, reminding all of us the debt we owe to our soldiers who sacrificed everything.

In addition to reminding us of the debt we owe to the men and women who laid down their lives so that we may live in freedom, he asked: “How may we as individuals make Memorial Day more meaningful?”

And, his answer was:
1. Fly the flag.
2. Take time to visit the Veterans’ Memorial here by the Amphitheater. Read the names inscribed in the stone and offer a prayer of thanks for their sacrifice. Or visit the other Veterans’ Memorials in our area.
3. Observe a moment of silence on this day to remember and honor those who have died in the service to our nation.
4. Now that we’ve taken the time to remember and honor those who gave their all, enjoy the rest of your day.

A flag is exchanged for a red rose that is placed by the Memorial as a symbol of what we owe the fallen.

Penfield Supervisor, Tony LaFountain, is heading for the Veterans' Memorial with his red rose.

Gough’s presentation was followed by the Presentation of the Roses, where friends and relatives of fallen soldiers are called to ceremonially step forward and place a red rose in their honor on or near the Memorial while the Penfield Pops Band played.

Someday in the future, perhaps we’ll celebrate a different kind of Memorial Day. A day to remember the wars of long ago as we enjoy peace among all the men and women on the Earth.

Lou Singer has been blogging about Penfield life since January 2009. Readers may recognize Singer's name from his numerous cartoons published on the Democrat and Chronicle's opinion pages over the years. Singer, of Penfield, attended New York University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in science with a minor in journalism. In 2000, he earned a master's degree in liberal studies from SUNY Brockport.
He worked for 10 years at Western Electric (part of AT&T) as an equipment engineer (designing and installing telephone equipment), three years at Lightolier as a Technical Writer and Illustrator and 33 years at Xerox as a senior technical writer and editor. He was responsible for writing training materials, service manuals and operator instructions plus a quarterly technical magazine for Xerox Service Engineers around the world.